The City might have to put up with traffic backups for nearly three years on the Chelsea Viaduct, but there will be a mitigation package for the City when the dust all settles.
City Manager Tom Ambrosino said they have received a mitigation package to go along with the Viaduct project, which starts on April 1.
“We got what I thought was a reasonable mitigation package from MassDOT,” he said. “It wasn’t perfect, but at the end of the day it was reasonable.”
One of the major improvements will be two new, fully constructed public parking lots under the Tobin curves when the project is done.
Ambrosino said it will include 135 public parking spaces just a block from downtown Chelsea, something he hopes will help alleviate some of the parking crunch in the area.
There will also be parking constructed under the curves at Carter Street too.
One key piece of the puzzle that will remain as part of the package is the Arlington Street onramp by the Williams School. MassDOT had toyed with the idea of eliminating that ramp in early designs, but pushback from the community seemed to keep that idea at bay.
Other pieces of mitigation include:
•A robust snow fence for noise mitigation.
•Money for community engagement to inform everyone of the project over the three years.
•Repaving Fourth Street. •lighting improvements under the Bridge after the project is completed.